We all know how soothing music can be. The right music can make all the difference when our nerves are frazzled or our bodyminds are exhausted. Why does music touch us on such a deep level?
Research has proven that music triggers the release of dopamine, the pleasure chemical. In fact, when we listen to our favorite music, our pupils dilate, our pulse rises and blood gets redirected to the muscles in our legs. Our bodies are primed for dancing or at least some serious toe tapping when we hear the music we love.
But music provides other benefits beyond delight. It helps us with memory recall. By stimulating the hippocampus it makes it easier for us to access what we learned previously. It creates physiological changes, such as increasing our level of antibodies, which in turn strengthen our immune system. It can help us to function better when anxious, and to relax when we’re too wired up.
Music adds to our quality of life in so many ways, some of which we now understand and others which remain mysterious. Read more about the wonders of music here .
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About the Author
Linda Anderson Krech, MSW, has 22 years of experience in Japanese Psychology. She has two beautiful daughters and is the author of "Little Dreams Come True: A Practical Guide to Spiritual Parenting." Linda is currently on staff at the ToDo Institute and a frequent contributor to Thirty Thousand Days.